Dear Friends,
I haven't blogged for a few years. The reason for this is relatively simple...I think I have too much to say.
I heard someone say of a famous pastor a few years back, "I don't think he's ever had a thought he didn't think was worth publishing." It was a snarky comment, but seemingly true.
Yesterday I personally reviewed a half-dozen famous blogs by Christian men and women, and I thought, "I can do that, but why? Do I have such a need to be heard?"
Why then am I blogging now? Perhaps I simply want to remind you that some writings are more worthy of attention than others, and I consider my musings far, far less valuable than reading words God has written that reveal His heart, His perspective, and His plan. Hearing from anyone before or at the expense of hearing from God seems plain foolish.
So, if you're reading this post but you haven't yet read some Scripture, you know what you need to be reading next. Psalm 119:103, "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth."
Peace,
E
Friday, July 21, 2017
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Swine Flu Response
Dear People,
There was once a woman who went to her doctor. She said, “Doctor, something is seriously wrong with me. I’m unusually tired, and I’ve been experiencing muscle weakness, headaches, and dizziness. I’m sure I’ve got fybromyalgia, and I’d like some medicine for it.”
The doctor said, “Well, let me take a look.” After giving the woman a full medical examination, the doctor explained the prescription as he wrote it out. “Take the green pill with two glasses of water when you get up. Take the blue pill with two glasses of water after lunch. Then just before bed, take the red pill with another two glasses of water.”
“So, exactly what is my problem, Doctor?” the woman asked.
The doctor replied, “You’re not drinking enough water.”
Tiredness, muscle weakness, headaches, and dizziness are in fact symptoms of fybromyalgia, but they are also symptoms of mild dehydration. Of course, a person can go online or open a textbook in order to self-diagnose. But when accuracy counts, it is best to get the perspective of a doctor! We seek expert advice for both the breadth of knowledge and the depth of perspective.
Proverbs 10:13 tells us, “On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found.” Discernment (or “understanding” as the KJV has it) comes from both experience and knowledge. In fact, the next verse in the Bible (Proverbs 10:14) says, “Wise men store up knowledge.” Proverbs tells us that when it comes to seeking advice, we should go to the person who has experience and knowledge. We should seek the counsel of someone who has stored up a wealth of relevant information to give a balanced and informed perspective.
Therefore, to whose advice do I give the most weight when, for example, considering the new strain of swine flu? I listen to a trusted doctor and to the advice of a broader community of doctors—not to my neighbor, a popular news anchor, or an old friend on facebook. I listen to doctors on this one because I am convinced that’s what God encourages us to do in situations like this.
That’s why I am not panicked about the swine flu right now because doctors right now are not panicked. Therefore, I’m just going to keep washing my hands frequently. As a church, we’re going to make sure that our buildings are clean like they need to be. As always, we’re going to encourage people who are sick to stay home from church and recover. We’re going to encourage people who have a fever or are feeling ill to call their doctor to see what they should do. We’re also going to have alcohol-based sanitizing gel available on Sunday mornings for people as they come in and leave. In other words, we’re just going to be conscientious to do what we should already be doing…just like we should be sure to drink enough water every day. The doctors I know tell me that there is as big a difference between forty-one American cases of swine flu and a real national emergency as there is between mild dehydration and fybromyalgia. Let’s not be too alarmed yet!
Peace,
Ernest
There was once a woman who went to her doctor. She said, “Doctor, something is seriously wrong with me. I’m unusually tired, and I’ve been experiencing muscle weakness, headaches, and dizziness. I’m sure I’ve got fybromyalgia, and I’d like some medicine for it.”
The doctor said, “Well, let me take a look.” After giving the woman a full medical examination, the doctor explained the prescription as he wrote it out. “Take the green pill with two glasses of water when you get up. Take the blue pill with two glasses of water after lunch. Then just before bed, take the red pill with another two glasses of water.”
“So, exactly what is my problem, Doctor?” the woman asked.
The doctor replied, “You’re not drinking enough water.”
Tiredness, muscle weakness, headaches, and dizziness are in fact symptoms of fybromyalgia, but they are also symptoms of mild dehydration. Of course, a person can go online or open a textbook in order to self-diagnose. But when accuracy counts, it is best to get the perspective of a doctor! We seek expert advice for both the breadth of knowledge and the depth of perspective.
Proverbs 10:13 tells us, “On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found.” Discernment (or “understanding” as the KJV has it) comes from both experience and knowledge. In fact, the next verse in the Bible (Proverbs 10:14) says, “Wise men store up knowledge.” Proverbs tells us that when it comes to seeking advice, we should go to the person who has experience and knowledge. We should seek the counsel of someone who has stored up a wealth of relevant information to give a balanced and informed perspective.
Therefore, to whose advice do I give the most weight when, for example, considering the new strain of swine flu? I listen to a trusted doctor and to the advice of a broader community of doctors—not to my neighbor, a popular news anchor, or an old friend on facebook. I listen to doctors on this one because I am convinced that’s what God encourages us to do in situations like this.
That’s why I am not panicked about the swine flu right now because doctors right now are not panicked. Therefore, I’m just going to keep washing my hands frequently. As a church, we’re going to make sure that our buildings are clean like they need to be. As always, we’re going to encourage people who are sick to stay home from church and recover. We’re going to encourage people who have a fever or are feeling ill to call their doctor to see what they should do. We’re also going to have alcohol-based sanitizing gel available on Sunday mornings for people as they come in and leave. In other words, we’re just going to be conscientious to do what we should already be doing…just like we should be sure to drink enough water every day. The doctors I know tell me that there is as big a difference between forty-one American cases of swine flu and a real national emergency as there is between mild dehydration and fybromyalgia. Let’s not be too alarmed yet!
Peace,
Ernest
Monday, April 20, 2009
National Day of Prayer
Dear Friends,
This year the National Day of Prayer falls on May 7, 2009. More than ever we should realize that prayer is America's hope. The current spiritual and economic crisis is quite real in the lives of families across the nation, and apart from God's blessing there is no hope. Therefore, the theme of our 18th annual National Day of Prayer in Georgetown is "May your unfailing love rest upon us, Oh, Lord, even as we put our HOPE in You." (Psalm 33:22)
I hope you will make it a point to join me at the Georgetown High School Football Stadium (221 North Austin Ave) on May 7 (a Thursday) to pray with others all accross Georgetown from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. In case there is a rain-out, the location will be the Georgetown 9th Grade Center Gymnasium located at 4290 E. University.
Peace,
Ernest
This year the National Day of Prayer falls on May 7, 2009. More than ever we should realize that prayer is America's hope. The current spiritual and economic crisis is quite real in the lives of families across the nation, and apart from God's blessing there is no hope. Therefore, the theme of our 18th annual National Day of Prayer in Georgetown is "May your unfailing love rest upon us, Oh, Lord, even as we put our HOPE in You." (Psalm 33:22)
I hope you will make it a point to join me at the Georgetown High School Football Stadium (221 North Austin Ave) on May 7 (a Thursday) to pray with others all accross Georgetown from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. In case there is a rain-out, the location will be the Georgetown 9th Grade Center Gymnasium located at 4290 E. University.
Peace,
Ernest
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Georgetown Job Cafe
Dear Friends,
Allow me to tell you about something new and exciting happening here in Georgetown. It's called the GEORGETOWN JOB CAFE (GJC). The GJC is a not-for-profit source for local employment information for all residents. The goal of the GJC is to match local employers with qualified job candidates and to match job seekers with local jobs in which they can excel and enrich their lives. Churches from all across the metro-Austin area will supply many of the GJC applicants and employers. This idea of using churches networking employers and potential employees within those churches with other churches in a much larger network is a great approach because statistics tell us that seventy percent of all jobs are "hidden jobs" and are not advertised.
Here's how the GJC works. Churches like Main Street Baptist Church who are active in the GJC network provide liaisons to the GJC. Every week there are weekly support meetings that offer prayer and spiritual encouragement, job search skills training, career counseling and assessment, networking and job leads, resume review and assistance, financial counseling, and online job search tools. At the moment the weekly GJC meetings are being held at the Georgetown public library, but that site could change in a few weeks.
Presently I am the liaison for our church, so if you are an employer needing help, or if you are presently looking for a job, please, contact me at ernest@msbchurch.com. Also, please consider going to one of the weekly meetings at the library. The meetings start at 9:00 and end at noon every Wednesday. If you are just one of these people who likes to help, has a heart for men and women looking for work, and wants to get involved, contact me at ernest@msbchurch.com.
God bless,
Ernest
Allow me to tell you about something new and exciting happening here in Georgetown. It's called the GEORGETOWN JOB CAFE (GJC). The GJC is a not-for-profit source for local employment information for all residents. The goal of the GJC is to match local employers with qualified job candidates and to match job seekers with local jobs in which they can excel and enrich their lives. Churches from all across the metro-Austin area will supply many of the GJC applicants and employers. This idea of using churches networking employers and potential employees within those churches with other churches in a much larger network is a great approach because statistics tell us that seventy percent of all jobs are "hidden jobs" and are not advertised.
Here's how the GJC works. Churches like Main Street Baptist Church who are active in the GJC network provide liaisons to the GJC. Every week there are weekly support meetings that offer prayer and spiritual encouragement, job search skills training, career counseling and assessment, networking and job leads, resume review and assistance, financial counseling, and online job search tools. At the moment the weekly GJC meetings are being held at the Georgetown public library, but that site could change in a few weeks.
Presently I am the liaison for our church, so if you are an employer needing help, or if you are presently looking for a job, please, contact me at ernest@msbchurch.com. Also, please consider going to one of the weekly meetings at the library. The meetings start at 9:00 and end at noon every Wednesday. If you are just one of these people who likes to help, has a heart for men and women looking for work, and wants to get involved, contact me at ernest@msbchurch.com.
God bless,
Ernest
Monday, March 30, 2009
Dear Friends,
Yesterday I mentioned that Titus 1:8 was worth a closer look but that we didn't have time. Well...here's the closer look. When speaking of church leaders Paul says (Titus 1:8, NIV), "Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined."
“Rather he must be hospitable,” The word is literally phileo. It means gentle spirit, or warm, or kindly. He must be kindly, or friendly.
So, he must be friendly, and “one who loves what is good.” Then Paul uses the word phileo again, only this time it’s combined with another word, the word agathos. Agathos in Greek literally means kind. In fact, it is used by Paul in Romans 5:7 when he says, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.” The word “good” used there is the same “good” used over here in Titus. A kind man, Paul says. You might die for a kind man, maybe not a righteous man, but you might for a kind one.
Then Paul continues speaking of one “who is self-controlled.” Now, self-controlled is sometimes translated prudent. The word used here is the same one Paul uses when he says to Timothy, (2 Timothy 1:7) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (deliria, a spirit of disorienting fear), but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (or sound-mind).” The word for sound mind is pseuphrono. Phrono is the word for mind, and pseu is from the word soter, save, or health. The word “to save” caries the meaning “to make healthy.” It means to have a healthy mind. The same word is used here in Titus. So, look at what he is saying. He wants the elders, along with Titus of course, to be “friendly, lovers of kindness, and of sound mind.”
Then Paul adds “upright,” That’s the word “dikiaos” which means righteous.
Paul also uses the word “holy,” often translated devout. This has something to do with the presence of God. So, I see Paul communicating that he not only wants them upright, but also close to God, Christ-centered. He wants someone close to Christ. Have you ever known people who just seemed to walk with Jesus? There is a kind of devoutness there. They are in close.
Then Paul closes this list with the word “disciplined.” We love that word, because it’s one of the fruits of the Spirit—self-control. It's the same word. This word in Greek is used almost exclusively of athletes, because they are disciplined in diet, training, and sleep. They’ve got focused and concentrated effort.
So, putting it all together, Paul is telling Titus, "This is what I want to see in your life and in the lives of the elders around you, and hopefully eventually in the live of everyone in the congregation. I want them to be friendly. I want them to be lovers of goodness/kindness. I want them to be clear-headed. I want them to be upright. I want them to be close to Christ. And I want them disciplined.” Can you imagine the impact of a church filled with folks like that? When Christ-followers have these marks of distinction, I would think that would be winsome in any culture.
Peace,
Ernest
Yesterday I mentioned that Titus 1:8 was worth a closer look but that we didn't have time. Well...here's the closer look. When speaking of church leaders Paul says (Titus 1:8, NIV), "Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined."
“Rather he must be hospitable,” The word is literally phileo. It means gentle spirit, or warm, or kindly. He must be kindly, or friendly.
So, he must be friendly, and “one who loves what is good.” Then Paul uses the word phileo again, only this time it’s combined with another word, the word agathos. Agathos in Greek literally means kind. In fact, it is used by Paul in Romans 5:7 when he says, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.” The word “good” used there is the same “good” used over here in Titus. A kind man, Paul says. You might die for a kind man, maybe not a righteous man, but you might for a kind one.
Then Paul continues speaking of one “who is self-controlled.” Now, self-controlled is sometimes translated prudent. The word used here is the same one Paul uses when he says to Timothy, (2 Timothy 1:7) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (deliria, a spirit of disorienting fear), but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (or sound-mind).” The word for sound mind is pseuphrono. Phrono is the word for mind, and pseu is from the word soter, save, or health. The word “to save” caries the meaning “to make healthy.” It means to have a healthy mind. The same word is used here in Titus. So, look at what he is saying. He wants the elders, along with Titus of course, to be “friendly, lovers of kindness, and of sound mind.”
Then Paul adds “upright,” That’s the word “dikiaos” which means righteous.
Paul also uses the word “holy,” often translated devout. This has something to do with the presence of God. So, I see Paul communicating that he not only wants them upright, but also close to God, Christ-centered. He wants someone close to Christ. Have you ever known people who just seemed to walk with Jesus? There is a kind of devoutness there. They are in close.
Then Paul closes this list with the word “disciplined.” We love that word, because it’s one of the fruits of the Spirit—self-control. It's the same word. This word in Greek is used almost exclusively of athletes, because they are disciplined in diet, training, and sleep. They’ve got focused and concentrated effort.
So, putting it all together, Paul is telling Titus, "This is what I want to see in your life and in the lives of the elders around you, and hopefully eventually in the live of everyone in the congregation. I want them to be friendly. I want them to be lovers of goodness/kindness. I want them to be clear-headed. I want them to be upright. I want them to be close to Christ. And I want them disciplined.” Can you imagine the impact of a church filled with folks like that? When Christ-followers have these marks of distinction, I would think that would be winsome in any culture.
Peace,
Ernest
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Prison Ministry Report
Dear Friends,
One of the biggest joys in my life is the opportunity to see so many amazing people humbly serving the Lord in amazing ways. Two people who constantly amaze and humble me are Ted and Pam Ludlow, a new-member couple that is serving as volunteers ministers at the local jail in the name of Main Street Baptist Church, and much more importantly in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am so thrilled by what God is doing through their ministry, and you should be as well. Just take a moment to read a letter I just received, and think about lifting them up in prayer throughout the course of your day, week, and month. You might also want to email Ted and Pam a word of encouragement.
Peace,
Ernest Jones
Dear Praying Partners,
Words fail to express changed lives. One has to see the expression on a face, hear the inflection in the voice and observe the body language to get the full impact. Therefore, the following story is hard to communicate with words. But, let me try. One of the women in our AA group is called “Ozzie” – 9 months ago she was totally indifferent to the claims of Christ and wasn’t sure about “God” in whatever package He/She came in. Through Pam’s faithful witness, the impact of a dynamic Christian inmate (Maria) and the AA class Ozzie came to a strong faith in Christ. She was not afraid to publicly express that faith in class and was a diligent student of her Bible. She has been a model inmate since she found life in Christ.
When her “day in court” came along we were all praying for favor with the judge. Ozzie was nervous and apprehensive, but seemed ready for whatever came down. Well, it didn’t come down so good. The prosecutor enhanced the charges (increased them to aggravated) and changed her to a level one inmate. When she got back to her pod and the pod officer told her – she just lost it! She threw her Bible against the wall, swore at God and said, among other things, (expletives) she was all finished with God because he did stand up for her. That outburst caused her to be “rolled” to the south side where the tougher women are located in single and 8-man cells.
Pam ministered to her there. Ozzie came to a place of profound repentance and humility for her untoward behavior. She ministered to the women in her 8-man cell and asked God to restore her to her old pod - if for no other reason than to be able to express her love and appreciation to Maria for Maria’s spiritual help before Maria left for prison. The Lord did exactly that. She was returned to her old pod, these two women had one night of talking and praying together and both of them were filled with joy at God’s goodness at that moment in their lives. Ozzie then came to the AA class filled with the goodness and love of God. I cannot begin to express the power of her testimony about how “unfaithful” she was and yet how faithful God was to her. That’s where words don’t communicate her passion, excitement, gestures and appreciation to God for all he had done in those last few days. She was even profoundly grateful for having had the experience and the lessons God taught her in the process. Pray for Ozzie, Maria and all these women so powerfully impacted by Christ while in prison. Maria is a strong believer and capable of bearing a faithful witness for Christ in the next prison she goes to.
It is only one story of dozens we see every single month. Thank you for your faithful prayers and interest.
Ted
512-635-8732 (cell)
TedLudlow@gmail.com
One of the biggest joys in my life is the opportunity to see so many amazing people humbly serving the Lord in amazing ways. Two people who constantly amaze and humble me are Ted and Pam Ludlow, a new-member couple that is serving as volunteers ministers at the local jail in the name of Main Street Baptist Church, and much more importantly in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am so thrilled by what God is doing through their ministry, and you should be as well. Just take a moment to read a letter I just received, and think about lifting them up in prayer throughout the course of your day, week, and month. You might also want to email Ted and Pam a word of encouragement.
Peace,
Ernest Jones
Dear Praying Partners,
Words fail to express changed lives. One has to see the expression on a face, hear the inflection in the voice and observe the body language to get the full impact. Therefore, the following story is hard to communicate with words. But, let me try. One of the women in our AA group is called “Ozzie” – 9 months ago she was totally indifferent to the claims of Christ and wasn’t sure about “God” in whatever package He/She came in. Through Pam’s faithful witness, the impact of a dynamic Christian inmate (Maria) and the AA class Ozzie came to a strong faith in Christ. She was not afraid to publicly express that faith in class and was a diligent student of her Bible. She has been a model inmate since she found life in Christ.
When her “day in court” came along we were all praying for favor with the judge. Ozzie was nervous and apprehensive, but seemed ready for whatever came down. Well, it didn’t come down so good. The prosecutor enhanced the charges (increased them to aggravated) and changed her to a level one inmate. When she got back to her pod and the pod officer told her – she just lost it! She threw her Bible against the wall, swore at God and said, among other things, (expletives) she was all finished with God because he did stand up for her. That outburst caused her to be “rolled” to the south side where the tougher women are located in single and 8-man cells.
Pam ministered to her there. Ozzie came to a place of profound repentance and humility for her untoward behavior. She ministered to the women in her 8-man cell and asked God to restore her to her old pod - if for no other reason than to be able to express her love and appreciation to Maria for Maria’s spiritual help before Maria left for prison. The Lord did exactly that. She was returned to her old pod, these two women had one night of talking and praying together and both of them were filled with joy at God’s goodness at that moment in their lives. Ozzie then came to the AA class filled with the goodness and love of God. I cannot begin to express the power of her testimony about how “unfaithful” she was and yet how faithful God was to her. That’s where words don’t communicate her passion, excitement, gestures and appreciation to God for all he had done in those last few days. She was even profoundly grateful for having had the experience and the lessons God taught her in the process. Pray for Ozzie, Maria and all these women so powerfully impacted by Christ while in prison. Maria is a strong believer and capable of bearing a faithful witness for Christ in the next prison she goes to.
It is only one story of dozens we see every single month. Thank you for your faithful prayers and interest.
Ted
512-635-8732 (cell)
TedLudlow@gmail.com
He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.
Dear friends,
Every once in a while I get an email devotional that I think is really helpful, and this morning I received just such a devotional I thought was worth immediately passing along. It’s a devotional that concerns Malachi 3:3 that says of God, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
That’s a great verse, but this verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that's easy—when I see my image in it.”
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Whatever you’re going through right now, just remember that God has a purpose.
Peace,
Ernest
Every once in a while I get an email devotional that I think is really helpful, and this morning I received just such a devotional I thought was worth immediately passing along. It’s a devotional that concerns Malachi 3:3 that says of God, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
That’s a great verse, but this verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that's easy—when I see my image in it.”
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Whatever you’re going through right now, just remember that God has a purpose.
Peace,
Ernest
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